Ovarian Ca

BernieO · May 13, 2003

Bex--

I completed 6 cycles of Taxol &Carboplantin for Ovarian Cancer. My Chemo nurses were great. They knew I was an experienced nurse but was also a patient. And they treated as an informed patient.

To answer your question about emotiional support for the individual and her family, this must be planned on an individual basis. How people react to cancer is based on their past experiences, the stage of cancer, support systems, and many other factors.

I tackled my cancer with an academic approach. I never cried or pitied myself. Instead, I read everything I could find. I made copious notes, now filling 3 binders. When I ran out of local information, I travelled to the nearest university setting to use their medical library. I feel knowledge is power. Also I am not just a patient, but a partner in the fight against this cancer with my medical oncologist and my gyne/oncologist.

Hope this helps some.

Cindy

lgoins · May 28, 2003

Bex,

How are you coming with your presentation? Have you found enough information? There are so many great resources. Check if you still need some.

nowplayingEDRN · Jun 1, 2003

Originally posted by BernieO
Bex--

To answer your question about emotiional support for the individual and her family, this must be planned on an individual basis. How people react to cancer is based on their past experiences, the stage of cancer, support systems, and many other factors.

I agree....the care and support all depends on how you handle situation and this is impacted by factors such as family dynamics, relious/spiritual beliefs, past experiences, the stage of the cancer and their knowledge of the disease........It is very individualized. The most important thing is to be compassionate, caring and supportive.....let the pt know that you are there for them and take your next step and cue from them. Good luck and let us know how your presentation goes. :)

Christie

IDreamOfJeanne · Jul 16, 2003

Bex, I'm also a nursing student -- best wishes with your report! Being the sister of a Stage IV ovarian cancer patient, and the daughter of a Mom who lost her battle with breast cancer just last October, I can only speak from the family perspective. In that regard, I agree with the other postings in that everyone deals with the diagnosis of cancer in a different way. I, being a relative and not the patient, have been much more eager to obtain as much information as possible to know what is going on with my sister's and Mom's care and treatment. In my case, neither patient wanted to know the details, and both left me to ask all the questions of the doctor and figure out what was going on and what we could expect with their treatments, etc. They trusted me to let them know only what they needed to know.

Thank goodness, both Mom and my sister have been very optimistic and "happy" patients -- both of them being the life of the party many times within the chemo room where they receive treatment. They both love to laugh -- even at their cancer and its effects -- and we have found their attitude to be accepted by most other patients. Alot of other patients have learned to laugh at their cancer after seeing Mom and Margret so happy. Their attitude is "it's better to laugh than to cry . . . most of the time," although they will both acknowledge that there are days when you simply have to cry.

We have had great experiences with all of the nurses that have treated Mom and Margret. Mom's nurses had a way of making her feel "special," by always complementing her on the beautiful jewelry and clothing (she LOVED to shop!), and the nurses always gave us the feeling that they were thrilled to see Mom. In fact, when Mom passed, I received several calls from the nurses and receptionist from her oncologist's office, just checking on me and letting me know that they missed seeing Mom.

Sorry for the length of this reply; I'm not short-winded when it comes to typing. . . or talking! Probably the most important thing I could say, from a family member's perspective, is to let the patient take the lead, respecting their views and ways of dealing with their diagnosis -- some want to know EVERYTHING, others prefer to know as little as possible. If you have a patient that is having a difficult time accepting their diagnosis, the best thing you can do is be supportive and give them an ear to express their concerns and hopefully release their fears. I truly feel that emotional support is one of the most important services an oncology nurse can provide. Everyone fears death, or the dying process, to some degree, although patients may not be comfortable talking about it with family members who may feel they have given up hope if death is mentioned, when that is not necessarily the case -- they may just need to release their fears by expressing them to someone such as their nurse.

Best wishes to you in school, with your report, and with your career!